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Mother of man accused of killing officer speaks

Jeremy Powell accused of shooting officer before killing self

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Updated: 11:06 PM CDT Apr 6, 2013

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Mother of man accused of killing officer speaks

Jeremy Powell accused of shooting officer before killing self

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Updated: 11:06 PM CDT Apr 6, 2013

JACKSON, Miss. —

The mother of a man accused of killing a Jackson police detective is speaking out.

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“He did a bad thing, I don’t deny that, but he was not a bad person,” said LaShon Dent, mother of 23-year-old Jeremy Powell.

Dent said questions are still racing through her mind about what really took place inside the police headquarters Thursday evening between her son and Detective Eric Smith.

“Something went wrong,” said Dent.

State investigators said Powell shot Smith before taking his own life inside a third-floor interrogation room. Police said Smith was questioning Powell about the shooting of 20-year-old Christopher Alexander on April 1.

Alexander’s body was left on the side of Greenwood Avenue, police said, with a stab wound to his neck.

“To my knowledge, he had nothing to do with (Alexander’s death),” said Dent.

Dent, who asked not to reveal her face, said her son was under a lot of pressure, but she said there were never any signs that he wanted to take his own life.

“He had two gunshot wounds to the head. It’s possible that he took his own life. I don’t want to say that he did or that he didn’t. I don’t know,” said Dent. “I was told there was another officer present, but they assured me that that officer did not shoot my son.”

Dent admitted her son had a run-in with the law when he was a teenager, but she said he had cleaned up his life and had planned on marrying his fiance in a few months.

“Your children are supposed to outlive you. They are supposed to bury you. It’s not supposed to be like this,” said Dent.

Dent is also reaching out to Smith’s family and friends.

“I’m sorry for your pain, and I’m sorry that my son was the one that caused your pain,” said Dent.